Springtime in Yellowstone

Majestic mountains, cascading waterfalls, bears, wolves and buffalo are some of the reasons people travel to Yellowstone National Park, my wife Debbie and I were no exception. The purpose of our springtime journey to the Wyoming Park was to photograph the iconic wolf, moose, elk and antelope. They were all there, but to our surprise, we discovered and focused on a wonderful world of birds, flowers and smaller, more common animals.

We found late April into early May to be a great time to visit, just as the park is bursting with new life and color. In the cool breeze of Spring, we found unexpected treasures at a small freshwater lake in the mountains of northern Yellowstone. We had the good fortune so witness the courtship of Yellow-headed Blackbirds.

In Yellowstone, tourists have a curious habit of stopping whenever they see wildlife anywhere near the road. They come to an abrupt stop in the middle of the road, make U-turns, and any number of other vehicle maneuvers to get a good view. Other tourists, in turn, stop behind, or pull into the other lane, scanning the surrounding woodland for any sign of life. It’s kind of like an animal version of the paparazzi hunting for a celebrity on Rodeo Drive. Often they yell out “whaddya lookin’ at?” if there isn’t an immediately recognizable large animal. If someone gets out of his or her car with a camera, it is the signal that there must be something great. Soon a small mob will form to approach whatever animal is nearby, shutters clicking as the strobes fill in the shadows.

On our second day we had just finished breakfast and were driving north, through the park toward Mammoth Hot Springs, when we sighted a car on the side of the road. Our excitement increased as we saw a man with a camera, and no other cars! A clear sign, in the Yellowstone tourist language, that something special must be visible. As we pulled over to the side of the road, we quickly scanned the horizon, a trick we learned while waiting in backups along the highway and watching other drivers. Other than a small lake with tall reeds we didn’t see any large animals. We checked to see if we could see which way the photographer was looking. Other cars were now starting to pull off both sides of the road around us at haphazard angles. The photographer began moving back to his car, camera down around his neck, when I rolled down my window I was about to join the Yellowstone paparazzi and yell “whaddaya lookin’ at?” he looked in my direction and shook his head side to side. He began walking back to his car.

Other cars caught the headshake and started to pull back onto the highway, hoping to be the lead car for the next sighting. As the last car was pulling out, my window was still down, I heard the beautiful sounds of a chorus whistling and tweeting down the embankment just ahead of me. As we listened to the variety of the bird’s calls, we saw flashes of yellow and black with streaks of white as a number of birds flew from reed to reed.

I glanced back to the road as the photographer who brought our attention to this area was pulling back onto the road. I checked the horizon again wondering what brought him out of the car when the sounds of the birds all around the small lake captivated me once again. I had never heard such wonderful sounds. I ventured out of the car mounting my camera on the tripod and moved quickly down the embankment. I was soon out of sight of the cars passing on the road, a good thing, since I had no idea what type of riot would ensue if people saw me with a camera and tripod outside of my car.

The male birds were so colorful and animated that they didn’t seem to notice my presence. At one point, a male Yellow-headed Blackbird landed on a reed directly in front of me. The bird was so close that my telephoto lens wouldn’t focus. While watching the male, I heard rustling noises in the undergrowth of the tall grasses near the edge of the water. After about 45 minutes, which seemed like only 10, I noticed a correlation between the arrival of the male on the reed and the rustling sounds from below. The male would hop from the reed to the ground and jump through the tall grasses in pursuit of a mate.

While I was enjoying the bird sounds and watching flashes of yellow bounce from reed to reed then out of sight, my wife was waiting patiently by the car, a clear signal for passersby to stop and ask the familiar question of what she was looking at. When she replied that, there were dozens of beautiful Yellow-headed Blackbirds they drove off. Some looked at her as if she was not all there as if to say, “Birds! You can see birds anywhere this is Yellowstone.”

I will always be grateful to the anonymous photographer who, for whatever reason, was near the lake and brought our attention to the wonderful birds and their Spring dance among the reeds.

For more photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/summerhill/

Florida Bird Photography and Alligators

Florida, the land of sunshine, fresh fruit and a cornucopia of colorful birds waiting to be enjoyed. Home to over 257 species of birds the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge is a birders dream or in some cases, nightmare. This Southern Florida refuge covers over 200 square miles of wetlands and serves a vital role to the environment. Keys to a successful visit include a birders guide, camera, sunscreen, bug repellent knowing what else lives there.

When I traveled to Florida for a photography course, I had my camera set for birds, not the American Alligator. I read about the park and decided this would be a perfect location for an early morning photo shoot before class. Normally when photographing in a new area I visit the location to check out the lighting, best places to set up my tripod, and talk with the park rangers about the wildlife. Since I was only in Florida for a few days, and in class most of each day, I was not able to make a reconnaissance trip before my morning shoot. My lack of planning would come back to haunt me later that morning.

I arrived before sunrise and was the only one around. I parked across the lot from the visitor center facing several large ponds with levees surrounding them. The refuge has ten numbered water impoundments that look like large ponds that are used to control water levels for the vegetation and soils that provide feeding and nesting habitat for the wildlife. One of the ponds is surrounded by an 1/8th mile levee that forms the Marsh Trail. At the far end of the pond is the observation tower, which was my destination for the morning.
The levees surrounding the large ponds were about fifteen to twenty feet wide. While waiting for the light to be just right, I saw a few ducks and geese floating nearby. I thought to myself how dangerous could this be if they have observation towers and interpretive signage along the trail.
When I entered the observation tower, I began to hear in the distance what sounded like someone trying to start a small engine. It was a deep sputtering growling type of sound. I could envision someone pulling a cord on a generator or kick starting the engine only to have it crank a few times and sputter out. Trying to put out of my mind what was becoming an annoying sound, I tried a few other locations along the bank of the levee to photograph snake birds drying their wings. After taking a few photos of the local Limpkin population, I still heard someone trying to start their engine. He must have an arm or leg of steel to keep trying.

After a few more photographs, I decided it was time to head back to class. When walking back on the dirt path to my car, I noticed some strange lines crossing over the levee from one pond to the next, as if someone had dragged a stick across the dirt leaving a serpentine line leading down into the water. I hadn’t noticed these before but now saw several. Just then, I heard a loud roar from the bushes just ahead, it was the man trying to start the engine! How did he get from behind me in the distance to right here in the bushes? I looked down at the line crossing the path, looked at the bushes where I heard the cranking low growling sound, then the light came on in my head – alligators! I replayed a scene from one of the popular nature shows about how fast an alligator could run on land, about 30 miles an hour in short bursts in a straight line. I stopped in my tracks and contemplated making a run for my car, which I could see in the distance. I decided I couldn’t make it past the bushes with my tripod, backpack and camera fast enough. The next roar from the bushes convinced me I should make my own tracks in the opposite direction around the pond. I would be late for class but that was the least of my worries.

With the warm rays of the morning sun the marsh was coming alive all at once. I could see dozens of alligators floating on the surface making their bellowing chorus. Their heads and tails were out of the water, with their bodies submerged, mouths open, making the deep rumbling growling sound that vibrated the air. It was mating season and I was on their turf.

Before I made a dash for safety, my journalistic instinct kicked in and I took a few pictures, of these prehistoric looking creatures, in case the worst happened and I became breakfast. This wasn’t exactly the early morning with the birds I envisioned when I started out. Ever since this experience I have made it a point to be more prepared when entering a wilderness area by doing my research beforehand.

Through this experience, I have learned that there is a lot more to do then watch birds and dodge alligators if you visit the refuge. In addition to the wildlife around the freshwater storage areas are walking trails through a cypress swamp, biking trails, fishing, butterfly gardens and a 5.5 mile canoe trail.
I have also located a recording of the guttural call that the alligators make that I mistook for an engine trying to start. Whenever I get too confident on where I’m traveling I log on to the Crocodilians Natural History and Conservation website to listen to the sound. It stills gives me chills when I hear it today.

For more photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/summerhill/

Photography in National Parks - Be Aware, Not Afraid

Our National Parks are wild, beautiful and all too often dangerous, especially for tourists with cameras. I have often seen people so caught up with recording their experience that they put themselves and others in danger. They are so focused on their equipment, or taking that memorable photo, that they lose track of what is happening around them. Animals in their natural habitat can be protective, annoyed and territorial. Between the years 1991 to 2001, an average of 177 fatalities occurred per year in the United States as a result of animal and human contact, according to a study published by the Wilderness Medical Society (not just national parks). With over 275 million visitors to U.S. national parks last year the number of deaths and injuries may not seem high, unless it happens to you or someone you know

While visiting Yellowstone National Park, which has the largest concentration of wildlife in the continental United States, I witnessed one father encouraging his two children, who were standing with their backs to a large bison, to step back a few steps so he could get a picture of them with the huge animal. I wasn’t close enough to say anything and didn’t want to yell or run toward them for fear of startling the bison. I watched and held my breath. After what seemed like a very long time, the picture was taken without incident and the kids ran to the car for the next photo op. As I watched this foolhardy suburbanite drive away, I turned my attention to the grazing bison. To my amazement, I saw another man, who had been watching the family in front of the bison, step forward and try to put his daughter on top of the grazing animal as if it were a donkey ride at the local bazaar. Fortunately, a ranger driving nearby stopped them. While these bison look like grazing cattle, they can be unpredictable. Even an accidental bump from a 2000-pound bison can cause considerable damage.

National Parks may seem safe because of their similarity to zoos. Both have paid admission at the entrance, a visitor center with concessions, uniformed personnel, descriptive signage and even areas marked where to stand for great photos. While these parks may appear safe, you need to be alert. The animals and reptiles in National Parks are not part of a petting zoo. You should be at least 25 yards from large animals like moose, bison, and elk, and 100 yards (the distance of a football field) if you are near a bear. Most parks, like Yellowstone, have free literature and videos on park safety. Be sure to read all you can about the area you are visiting. You should never feed wild animals. Be respectful of every animal and bird, let them have their space.

In addition to being aware of the dangers from wildlife there is also the natural environment about which you need to be knowledgeable. Hot springs, posionous plants, avalanches, falling rocks, and exposure to the elements can all kill or severely disable adventurers of various sill and experience. So, to ensure that you get the best pictures from your ventures into our beautiful outback safely, take notice of your surroundings before you say “cheese”.

The Other Air and Space Museum

The largest collection of historic air and spacecraft in the world traces the history of human flight in grand fashion at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. The Smithsonian has two Air and Space facilities. The original Air and Space Museum located on the Mall in Washington D.C., is home to about 10% of the Smithsonian’s collection. The larger collection of full size planes and space vehicles that could never fit inside the Washington location have been on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Chantilly, Virginia since 2003.

This is the hall of fame of aviation and space travel. What I found most fascinating was the history that surrounds each of the items on display. Like the first space shuttle, USS Enterprise, which never flew in outer space and the fastest plane ever built, the Lockheed SR-71. Often referred to as the Blackbird, this spy plane was operational until 1999. On July 27, 1976, the SR-71 set a speed record of 2,092 mph. Another record was set with the fastest time between New York and London with a breathtaking 1 hour and 54 minute flight. Compare the SR-71 speed with the commercial Concorde, also on display at the Center that could reach 1,350 mph.

One of the more controversial exhibits, the B-29, Enola Gay, that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, drew record crowds when only part of it was on display at the Smithsonian Mall location. At the Udvar-Hazy annex, the entire plane has been restored and is on display. There are another 150 aircraft and about the same number of space artifacts, to include uniforms, space suits, and even examples of experiments sent into outer space. There are pre-1920 aircraft, commercial aircraft, rockets and planes used in World War I & II, Korea, and Vietnam. Space modules from the Mercury, Apollo and Gemini flights are on display with many of the satellites that have circled the globe.

This center is more than a hanger full of relics that have ventured and returned from space. This is a place for anyone who has looked to the sky and wondered what it would be like to soar above the clouds. Such flights of fancy captivated a young Steven F. Udvar-Hazy, whom the Center is named. As a boy, his father took him to an air show in Budapest, before they immigrated to the United States, where his passion for aviation was set for life. As a Hungarian immigrant, he came to America with his family nearly 60 years ago with next to nothing. His financial endowment, the largest single donor to the museum, has brought the Center more than displays and memorabilia. He has provided a place where the future of flight can be cultivated in others.

In addition to the space exhibits in the James S. McDonnell Space Hanger and three levels of aircraft in the Boeing Aviation Hanger, there is the IMAX movie theater, simulators and the Donald D. Engen Observation Tower that overlooks the Dulles runways. There are also exhibits that cover the impressive and heroic role women have pioneered in aviation and space as well as the historic role of America’s first black military aviators.

The price for the exhibit is free but there is a $12 dollar parking charge unless you take the shuttle bus from Dulles International Airport for 50 cents.

For me a visit to the Udvar-Hazy Center captures not only the technology but also the spirit of flight. Before Orville and Wilbur made their first flight, Leonardo da Vinci said it best centuries ago, “When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.”

Oak Grove Living Christmas Tree

Oak Grove Singing Tree Choir
Originally uploaded by Jennings David L

This is the time of year for many churches across America to erect elaborate scaffolding in the shape of a Christmas tree for their annual Christmas presentations. One of the largest singing Christmas trees is at the Oak Grove Baptist Church in Bel Air, Maryland. The church has performed the Living Christmas Tree 23 years in a row! This unique outreach started in 1985 by music director Ken Tipton with the purpose of reaching the community with the message of Christmas. "This is not just a job, for us it’s a ministry. We do this so we can carry the true message of Christmas, that Jesus Christ came into this world as a baby child to live that through him we to could live," Tipton said in a 1994 interview. That purpose holds true today with the new choir director Steve Poole.

The tree was designed by Bob Wilson, an electrical engineer and member of Oak Grove. It is 37 feet tall and is topped with an eleven foot lighted star illuminated by thousands of lights. The tree has held over 100 singers during the varying themes presented each year. During the 23 years an estimated 200,000 people have attended the event that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. This year the decorations and lighting are by Louise Gentry and Lois Stagnoli. The hundreds of thousands of lights on the tree are controlled in a manner that changes the lighting according to the music. In addition to the choir, that begins practice in July, there are hundreds of behind the scenes people who make the presentation happen. This years presentation was "The Gift" arranged by Lari Goss with drama by Steve Poole. A live praise band accompanies many of the songs. There is no charge for admission; however, tickets are required in order to make certain seating is available. Each approximately 10,000 tickets are distributed to the church and community.

48 Hours in New York

If you had 48 hours for a family weekend in New York City what would be your top five places to visit?

Before giving the specifics about where we went during our 48 hours, I want to state that my family was impressed with the friendliness and safety we experienced while in New York. We heard plenty of stories of how rough New York could be, everything from three-card Monte games, ripping off tourists, to violent crime in the streets. However, we found just the opposite to be true. We felt very comfortable day and night in New York.

Our first stop was the Statue of Liberty. It is accessible from either Liberty State Park, New Jersey or Battery Park, at the tip of Manhattan. We chose the New Jersey location to take the ferry since we were driving to New York. It turns out that parking is easier and the ferryboats less crowded than those leaving from the New York side. There is no entry fee to the National Park to visit Ellis Island or the Statue of Liberty; however, there is a charge for getting to the islands. The only boats allowed to dock at either island are the boats under contract to the National Park Service. Circle Line ferryboats, the current authorized ferryboat operator, will be replaced by Hornblower Yachts, in January 2008.

I recommend reserving your ferryboat tickets online, although you can try your luck in person without a reservation. The best tip for making the most of your visit is to reserve your free monument pass when you purchase your boat ticket. The monument pass get you access inside the statue’s pedestal and observation area. Without this pass you can walk around the island and enjoy the harbor views and looking at the statue from ground level. The pass is marked for a specific block of time when you can arrive at the security area. Don’t be misled by the word “free” associated with the monument pass, these passes are only available when you reserve, or pick up your ferry tickets. There are only 3000 monument passes available each day for the more than 15,000 daily visitors.

Once inside the statue’s pedestal there are excellent interactive exhibits and historical displays. We walked around the catwalk of the original copper torch originally held by Lady Liberty. A fun photo can be taken next to full size copper replica of Liberty’s face. At the top of the pedestal, visitors are directed to look up through a Plexiglas ceiling at the inside structure of the statue. Before 9/11 the tours actually went through the statue and filed up to and past the crown, looking out of the small windows and a fabulous view of the city.

While on the tour be sure to make time to visit the American Family Immigration History Center on Ellis Island. You have the option of getting off the ferryboat, on either the way to, or return, from Liberty Island but not both. Boats from New York normally stop at Ellis Island after the Statue of Liberty tour while boats from New Jersey make the stop before landing at Liberty Island. The History Center has detailed interactive displays, records of millions of people who passed through the island, excellent historical photographs and artifacts. It is estimated that nearly half of Americans today could trace at least one relative who passed through Ellis Island.

The Stage Door tour at Radio City Music Hall was our next stop, after checking into our Times Square hotel. The tour is a great educational experience for anyone interested in architecture, history, famous personalities, or technical wizardry. Meeting a Rockette up close isn’t a bad reason to take the tour either. The grandeur of the 1932 grand opening is evident as you make your way through the labyrinth of hallways and passageways. One of the best views in the house is from a soundproof room inset at the top rear wall of the theater. As we made our way through the one-hour tour, I was amazed at the technical capabilities of the theater. Everything in the theater is big: huge hydraulic systems to lift the stages, a huge stage car to move a 40-piece orchestra around the stage, and an LCD screen larger than a movie theater screen. We previously booked our tour and subsequent show tickets online, so we went from the tour right into the theater and the high kicking Rockettes in their Christmas spectacular. Backstage and show tickets are available through Ticketmaster.

The Empire State Building is almost a pilgrimage for the dedicated King Kong fan. On the 86th floor observation deck, aside from the person in the gorilla costume, the cityscape is breathtaking. I have to give my wife credit for talking me into renting the optional audio tour. With the stoppable audio player we just followed the numbers on the observation deck to synchronize the audio with the view. From Central Park to lower Manhattan, the audio tour identifies places of interest and gives a running narrative from a New Yorker’s perspective. You will see the world’s largest department store as well as Pier 58 where the Titanic was scheduled to dock in 1912. Interesting background stories are interspersed throughout the narrative, like the rivalry between the Chrysler building and the Empire State building owners, on who would have the tallest building. Booking and printing tickets online enabled us to move past the long line of those waiting to buy tickets on site.

We took the subway to the World Trade Center Station. Upon exiting the station we saw that the World Trade Center Memorial Museum has posted several large photographs on a chain link fence overlooking the site. We were there early and had an opportunity to view each of the photographs that document the prelude to 9/11 and the aftermath. Every visitor, particularly Americans, should experience this for themselves. There is no charge for the exhibit, but the lasting emotional imprint is priceless.

Taking in a Broadway show is why many people visit New York. According to the League of American Theater and Producers an estimated 12 million people bought theater tickets for Broadway last year. With the current stagehand strike, this number may be down significantly, depending how long the strike lasts. We took advantage of same day tickets, at up to 50% off, at TKTS outlet in Times Square, currently at the Marriott hotel lobby. There is also another TKTS discount booth at South Street Seaport in lower Manhattan. Not all shows are available for this option and probably not many first run plays are available. We opted for the long running Chicago play and were not disappointed. The theater was smaller than we expected but permitted us to have great seats.

Best tip for the trip: We avoided a 2 hour wait at the Hard Rock Café, Times Square, by presenting my “all access” card and getting the first available table. You can get an all access pass at any Hard Rock Café. Needless to say I was the family hero for the night as we moved to the front of the very busy line.

Let me know your favorite five places to visit so I can start planning our next trip.

New Poster Print by David L. Jennings

This image was taken in the Washington DC Smithsonian Metro station. I was surprised there were not more passengers. The quote - Great achievements begin in the imagination - was inspired by Orison Swett Marden. The poster is available at www.shutterfly.com/pro/JDLphoto/images in 11x14 and 16 x 20.